. >> the new conservative dominance of policy thinking ended when barack obama was elected president. but today was the day that the obama administration made the single biggest play to define what comes next. today, he nominated chuck hagel, in doing, he nominated the first vietnam veteran. >> he understands that sending young americans to fight and bleed in the dirt and mud, that is something we only do when it is absolutely necessary. my frame of reference, he has said, is geared to the guy at the bottom who is doing the fighting and the dying. with chuck, our troops will always know just like sergeant hagel was there for his own brother, secretary hagel will be there for you. and finally, chuck represents the bipartisan tradition that we need more of in washington. for his independence, and commitment to consensus, he has earned the respect of national security and military leaders, republicans and democrats, including me. >> hagel will be the third republican secretary of defense appointed by the last two democratic presidents. william cohen, and bob gates, re-appointed by presid